Prior to getting as far as HungryJoe's response above, I was going to make 3 comments on the Aikido. Two of them Hungry Joe made already:

1. It looks like it's come from Tomiki Aikido to me. The videos and the syllabus.

2. That tatami looks wicked-awesome.

The third point I was going to make was about the apparent amount of spirit/vim, in their practice is is shockingly relaxed.

I'm all for a relaxed body (especially if my rohypnol was expensive), but it looked like Matrix style bullet-time slow motion, in a computer generated world where no-ones wrists can support the weight of their own hands.

As an Aikidoka It looked way too soft to me. **** knows what the judo guys are thinking.

When life gives you lemons... BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!

"what's the best thing about aikido then?"
"To be defeated by your enemies, to be driven by them from the field of battle, and to hear the lamentations of your women." ermghoti

I was a member of Windsong until about a decade ago. At the time, Nick Lowry was still affiliated with Karl Geis' Fugakukai. I understand there has been a split and Nick has gone his own way. Haven't inquired as to the split and won't unless someone volunteers.

My rank when leaving was yonkyu in Judo and shodan in Aikido. Can't remember just how long that took, but typical training was aikido four mornings a week and three of judo. Doubled up on Saturdays for the judo and aikido. Must admit, I did not start the judo until later while there.

Judo rank did not carry over as it was dojo promoted only through the Fugakukai. My coach also started at Windsong many years before myself. He's currently sandan and would, if he was to appear on this site, give nothing but good words for Nick Lowery and his judo.

Greg Ables, the uke in the video linked is also an extremely well rounded/talented player and did compete. Competition or not was up to the individual.

Karl Geis trained directly under Tomiki while in Japan and was asked to teach his art in the US. We did randori on Fridays only if I remember correctly (aikido).

I will say that Nick's kuzushi is phenomenal. He is also one of the finest persons I've ever met and not a bullshit bone in his body.

Back then, we did randori below brown belt. There was always emphasis on taking care of your training partner. You rolled as hard as you wanted and attitudes were not tolerated.

Added - that tatami is second to none in this state. Spring loaded with automotive valve springs and interlaced layers of wood, topped by a dense mat and covered with canvas. A true thing of beauty.

In my opinion, this does not belong in MABS.

USJA Database has Lowry leaping from Shodan to Hachidan without taking a single test or earning a single promotion point. And this was in 2006 when this sort of nonsense was supposed to be over.

Now darkness comes; you don't know if the whales are coming. - Royce Gracie

I just got back from 3 hours of class from the Windsong dojo. During that time, I got to do over an hour of randori and newaza. One of the senior guys that I got to play with was Greg Ables, who is a former senior national judo champion... So for those of you who were actually good enough to play against him that year, you lost to him.

I am astonished at how casually disrespectful a number of the people have been who have posted on this thread towards the dojo, considering you haven't ever been there.

And for the people who are sarcastically concerned that our dojo fails to prepare people for real self defense, don't worry. A good number of our players are combat veterans, police officers, and martial artists that have considerable experience in other arts including karate, tae kwan do, jui jitsu, boxing, muay thai, wrestling, etc. The school blends that knowledge together into an art that is useful for self defense, much unlike the sport concept of rolling into a turtle position so that an attacker can kick you in the back of the fucking head.

Oh, and by the way battefields, the only purpose for the turtle is to get the refs to stand you up. It exposes the back of your head, the neck, the spine, and the kidneys. These are all kill shot locations if an attacker drops a north-south elbow into any of the spots with sufficient power. In a self defense situation, this posture is absurd. I should not have to explain this to you.

Oh, and by the way battefields, the only purpose for the turtle is to get the refs to stand you up. It exposes the back of your head, the neck, the spine, and the kidneys. These are all kill shot locations if an attacker drops a north-south elbow into any of the spots with sufficient power. In a self defense situation, this posture is absurd. I should not have to explain this to you.

HE told you what he was going to do to you and you still fell into the trap. I guess we are going to have to explain sarcasm......

USJA Database has Lowry leaping from Shodan to Hachidan without taking a single test or earning a single promotion point. And this was in 2006 when this sort of nonsense was supposed to be over.

Matt,

Somehow Karl Geis can get people promoted on his say so, or at least used to be able to do so. I am willing to bet that is what happened to Lowry. Why Mr. Geis would do that is beyond me, or how it got through/past the usual JA process as outlined on their website is beyond me.

I don't think using Bullshido to attack USJA promotion policies past or present is a good use of resources. If someone has a beef with USJA, they need to take it up with USJA.